


i was scared of pretty girls  (and starting conversation)

by GucciAspirin



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Adults, F/F, Sexual Content, So many tropes, Tropes, i write tropes not tragedies, side nozoeli
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 07:04:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7257418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GucciAspirin/pseuds/GucciAspirin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five years later and Nico and Maki still don't quite have it together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i was scared of pretty girls  (and starting conversation)

**Author's Note:**

> mistakes are mine.  
> title taken from that one song.  
> inspired by a text post i can't find anymore cause i didn't tag it properly :((

**i. in which there is a misunderstanding**

 

It’s strange how fast one year can go. 12 months, 365 days, 525600 minutes...a whole lot of seconds (Nico was never really good at math, but it surely has to be in the billions, yeah?). But 365 days ago Nico started officially dating Maki Nishikino. After four years of knowing her and three and a half extremely long years of being, deniably, in love.

 

All this of course because Maki couldn’t admit her feelings to Nico until she was drunk at one of their bimonthly reunions (and yes - fine, okay -Nico didn’t say anything either but Maki is extremely hard to read at times).

 

But four years of long stares, and fleeting touches and a lot of mostly figurative headbutting; all that just to get to here.

 

Nico has been with Maki for one year. One incredible, but busy year. The year Nico got noticed, the year she got an agent, the year everything seemed to just _happen._ Of course Maki has been busy with medical school, focusing on school and an internship.

 

It’s all just been so much, Nico finds herself overwhelmed, all while - ironically - hovering over Maki. With Nico’s thighs straddling her hips, and a hand on Maki’s face, she has to take in a large breath. A whole year. It’s not often that Nico finds herself speechless, but looking at Maki with her red hair to the side, marks on her neck, a pink hue covering her face; she’s stunning.

 

A year of this.

 

Nico lowers her eyes. Maki’s shirt is off, leaving her in nothing but a blue, cotton bra and a dark, red skirt.

 

Maki lets out a soft grunt, and Nico looks up to find her head turned to the side, her red brows furrowed. “Why are you staring?” She squirms a bit. _Cute._

 

Nico chuckles, runs her thumb along Maki’s jaw. It’s amazing how heavy the heart can be, something that’s the size of her fist feels like it’s taking up her entire body. She breathes in again, the air feeling like too much as it runs through her lungs. “I love you,” she says. The words come out as she exhales, and Nico doesn’t remember ever being this happy. This content.

 

Swallowing in, Maki begins to say the words back, but Nico leans in and kisses her before she can finish the sentence. Maki reaches from behind and twines her fingers in Nico’s hair, twirling the ends idly like she normally does with her own. Nico likes it when Maki plays with her hair, she’s never told Maki that, yet somehow Maki seems to just know.

 

At first it’s just a series of soft kisses, gentle presses of lips. That is until Maki’s hand moves from hair to back to butt. She pulls Nico closer, causing her to let out a sharp gasp. Nico gives an open-mouthed smile, her nose brushing Maki’s.

 

Maki takes Nico’s bottom lip between the two of hers and sucks before kissing her fully again.

 

It’s not the first time things have gotten this heated, nor the first time Maki has had her shirt off. This is what Nozomi likes to call “heavy petting.” Not that Nico ever willingly shares what she does with Maki alone. But unfortunately, being that she is Nico’s roommate, Nozomi has walked in on them once or twice, or maybe three times. Nico doesn’t feel bad, just embarrassed. Then again, she’s walked in on Nozomi and Eli more times than she wishes to admit unfortunately.

 

One thing Nico knows is that Nozomi and Eli have gone way beyond “heavy petting.” Something that Nico (and possibly ... _hopefully_ Maki) have not done. But tonight, with the way Maki is biting her lip and moaning into her mouth; the way Nico runs her hand over the soft planes of Maki’s stomach, the way Maki keeps shivering when Nico brushes against her skin; Nico thinks that maybe they’re ready for the next step. After 365 days, after five years of pining.

 

Nico brings her hand a little lower so that it’s caressing the soft skin of Maki’s inner thigh. “Maki…” she says, their lips still close, still in contact with each other. Nico swallows in thickly, licks her lip and brings her hand up so that it’s nearly touching the line of Maki’s panties. “I want you.”

 

And that’s when Maki freezes, her hands clench, and Nico sees not desire but panic flash in her eyes. Her body goes completely tense and _dammit_. Nico rips her hand away, moves it back to Maki’s cheek.

 

She’d been thinking so much about how she was ready in the heat of the moment she just - _idiot._ Nico mentally scolds herself while keeping a forced smile on her lips. Nico sighs against Maki’s mouth, kisses her upper and then lower lip before moving up to kiss her forehead.

 

Then, she yawns despite the blood racing through her veins and the pressure between her legs. “I’m kind of sleepy,” Nico says. Abruptly she jumps off of Maki, stretching her arms out and giving another, more exaggerated yawn.

 

Maki scrambles up, her hands digging into the couch as she lifts herself up for balance. “Do you wanna sleep here, instead of taking the bus home?” Maki looks down at her nails, her right hand twirling her hair. She’s still shirtless, and Nico is still having a hard time breathing.

 

And Nico wants to say yes, if anything to keep up normalities. Normally on a late night like this she _would_ stay over - especially on the night of their anniversary. But at the same time, she wants to alleviate the throbbing that’s driving her insane, and shower because she feels sticky. A blush creeps up on her neck as she thinks of that. Showering. With Maki.

 

_Not helping._

 

“Maki wants super idol Nico Nii all to herself, I see,” Nico teases with a quick wink; and would she just put her _damn shirt on already._ Nico forces herself to look only at Maki’s eyes.

 

“No, I--I just--” Maki rolls her eyes. “Thought it might be more conforming since you’d get to go to bed quicker.”

 

Nico smiles at that, walks closer and places her hand on Maki’s cheek. “I have to go in super early tomorrow for a meeting otherwise I would.” It’s only half a lie, she really does have the meeting.

 

“Oh. Okay,” Maki says with a small nod. But she looks disappointed, her eyes dull.

 

And Nico must really love her because despite the annoying reminder of arousal, she sighs and says, “Well, I guess in the end it wouldn’t make too much of a difference, though. I’d be saving time by going to bed here…” she chews on her lip.

 

“So you’ll stay?” Maki’s voice perks up a little bit.

 

Nico bites the inside of her cheek and pretends to contemplate other options. “Hmm...only if you say it.”

 

“Say what?”

 

Nico smirks, and Maki rolls her eyes.

 

“No.”

 

“Say it,” Nico sings, then moves her hand away from Maki’s cheek as she turns around, making a show out of leaving. Maki grabs her wrist and yanks her back over.

 

“ _Makiwantsniconiconiigreatestidolintheuniversetostay,_ ” she mutters.

 

Nico clucks her tongue and cocks her head to the side while cupping her ear. “I’m sorry Nico didn’t hear that.”

 

Rolling her eyes again, Maki says, “Maki wants Nico Nico Nii, greatest idol in the universe, to stay.”

 

As Nico ‘contemplates’ it again, Maki kisses her. A long, head-spinning kiss that doesn’t help Nico’s predicament but does startle her.

 

“Oh-okay,” she stutters.

 

Maki smirks in victory, and Nico wonders how the hell she got herself into the mess.

 

##

 

**ii. in which a question is asked**

 

Things have been, like, weird. Or well, weirder than normal for when you’re dating a girl who’s extremely close to becoming a super idol. Maki can trace it back to three weeks ago, to _that_ day. She blushes a little thinking about it, the skin on her cheeks warming up.

 

The thing is, Maki still isn’t exactly sure what happened. Nico’s hand was so close to _there_ , and Maki didn’t know if she wanted to pull Nico closer or run away. It sounds stupid, but she honestly hadn’t thought about sex. Well, she thought about it but never really _thought_ about it.

 

Sure maybe she’d feel the stirrings down below her waist whenever Nico touched her a certain way. And, yes, she’d find herself in the shower feeling...sticky. There’s also the low churning in her gut, the thrum of her heart, the feeling of too much air in her lungs. She’s felt desire, thought about it even from time to time; but doing the act itself was something she always thought of with a resigned _some day_.

 

Maki didn’t consider that someday was now, which is stupid. They’ve been together for a over a year now, and yet, Maki doesn’t even know if she’s ready. She loves Nico, but there is something frightening about baring everything physically.

 

There is also something thrilling, and Maki feels a deep pang in her stomach at the thought of seeing Nico with no clothes. She thinks about what Nico’s voice would sound like, her face, the curve of her back. Maki grinds her teeth, sucks in a sharp breath.

 

“I’m acting like a perv,” she mutters, one hand twisting through her hair.

 

It doesn’t help that she has all of this pent of energy because Nico has been acting so different. They still kiss, still touch each other, but it’s always fleeting, never enough. All of a sudden Nico’s timid, careful with her every move. Her hands haven’t ventured anywhere other than Maki’s hips and face since the “incident.” The worst part is Nico won’t bring it up. _So stubborn._

 

This is something couples should talk about, but Maki doesn’t know exactly what _to_ talk about. And it all just circles back to the fact that Maki never thought about it actually happening in the first place, which - again - stupid. Nozomi and Eli have done it, that much Maki knows from Nico ranting.

 

Maki chews her bottom lip. Have Rin and Hanayo? Honoka and Tsubasa? Surely not Umi and Kotori…

 

Has Nico?

 

Maki doesn’t want to think about that because she doesn’t have the right to be jealous or annoyed.

 

But she is jealous and annoyed.

 

She thinks about the other girls, wonders if she’s the only virgin just like she was the last person to figure out Santa wasn’t real. _Ugh._

 

Maki picks up her phone. She types in Rin’s name on her phone, the one person that she actually might be able to talk to about this. Nozomi and Eli both live with Nico, plus they’ve been, _er,_ active for years. And while she should, and will, talk to Nico; she needs someone outside of the situation.

 

Sucking in a deep breath Maki selects Rin’s number, shooting a quick text of: _Have you ever...done it?_

 

But Maki, being flustered, doesn't notice that she didn’t click only Rin’s name; but the entire _Muse_ chat. And _why why why_ is Rin’s name listed first and _why_ didn’t she notice it. _Oh God, oh God._

 

Maki fumbles with her phone, the heat from her cheeks rising to the tips of her ears. She quickly goes to her phone’s settings, tries to put it on airplane mode before the text can fully send. But her hands are sweaty and the fast movement causes her to drop the phone. She watches as it falls in slow motion, her throat constricting.

 

“Fuck.”

 

Maki stares at the phone for about ten minutes, deciding whether or not to pretend what just happened didn’t happen. Ultimately she picks it up off the floor, blushing at the 22 texts already there.

 

Eli: _umm_

 

Nozomi: ;)

 

Eli: Nozomi!??

 

Nozomi: Well it’s not like she doesn't know

 

Umi: I’m not answering that.

 

Kotori: :)

 

Umi: …

 

Nozomi: knew it

 

Honoka: LMAO

 

Rin: nya :3

 

Umi: What’s so funny?

 

Hanayo: I...well…

 

Honoka: Umi is funny :D

 

Umi: Why??

 

Honoka: I caught you and Kotori the other day!

 

Eli: Why are we having this conversation?

 

Rin: xD

 

Umi: OH MY GOD HONOKA. WHEN WILL YOU SHUT UP

 

Kotori: Well it was our fault, kind of…

 

Nozomi: hehe. What’s this about, though? Is Nicocchi getting lucky? ;)

 

Nico: FUCK OFF NOZOMI.

 

Eli: Nozomi…

 

Maki looks at the messages, eyes wide as she focuses on Nico’s name. There is a small icon of her doing her Nico sign next to her message; it feels like she’s being stared at. “Oh God.”

 

Maki’s fingers tap the buttons slowly. _Wrong chat._

 

As she sends that, Honoka’s text of _btw, yes_ , comes in; leaving Maki only that much more mortified. She doesn’t know what’s worse, the fact that everyone else has had sex, or the fact that Nico said nothing pertaining to the conversation. Though maybe it’s better that way.

 

Or maybe Nico will tease her later about it. _Great._

 

#

The group chat wanes after an hour of inappropriate conversation that Maki only looks through to see Nico’s responses.

 

The embarrassment stays.

 

#

 

Nico never mentions it. Maki thinks that might be worse than the teasing she had prepared for.

 

#

 

**iii. in which everything is still unresolved (they’re idiots and can’t help it)**

 

Weeks pass and the sex question eventually blows over completely, though now Nozomi gives Maki little winks when Nico isn’t looking. It’s frustrating because Nozomi probably has more insight on Nico than anyone at this point because if Nico’s not ranting to her about it, then she has to be talking to someone.

 

At the very least Nozomi brought up the sex question with Nico and forced something out of her.

 

Nico is still acting weird, but she’s been busy so Maki doesn’t actually bring up the fact that she’s been acting weird. As annoying (and great) as it is, Nico’s getting into a pretty big stage in her life and is already stressed enough. Maki’s been busy herself with finals coming up, though it’s not like she’s waited to do anything until the last minute. She’s not Nico.

 

From the kitchen of her apartment, Maki can hear the light humming of said girl. Maki’s lips twitch at the sound. Soon to be future idol Nico Nico Nii humming in her kitchen while making spaghetti sauce. It’s almost surreal.

 

Maki walks to the kitchen, studies the way Nico dips her finger into the saucer and brings it up to her lips. The finger leaves her mouth with a muted pop, and Maki finds that she can’t look away. The way her mouth curves at the end, the shape of it, the reddish hue of her lips. With a blush reaching up her chest, combined with the heat of the kitchen, Maki feels like she’s suffocating. She clears her throat causing Nico to twirl around.

 

“Is Maki trying to learn how to cook?” Nico asks, one brow arched. Her hair is pulled up into a sloppy bun. It’s both refreshing to see how comfortable Nico is, and annoying because she looks so _good._ Even in a sweatshirt and shorts.

 

She’s going to sleep over tonight, and while the thought is a little unnerving, Maki also finds herself excited. It’s not that she thinks that _that_ will happen, but surely _something_ will happen.

 

“Entranced by my beauty?” Nico asks and Maki realizes she’s been blankly staring at Nico for a good minute.

 

“By the smell,” she replies, smirking a little at Nico’s pout. It does actually smell really good, but not as good as Nico looks. _Ugh. Gay thoughts not now._ “Nice song by the way.”

 

Nico strides over to Maki, a small frown on her lips. _“Why are you always looking at me?”_ She holds the stirring spoon to her lips and sings “ _Is this a trap, trap, trap?”_

 

Maki rolls her eyes but can’t help the tiny smile as Nico grabs her hand and pulls her close. She keeps singing and grins in Maki’s face. “Come on _Maki_ , I know you remember the words…”

 

Nico continues to hum whilst dancing with - or more so, dancing against - Maki. She turns herself using Maki’s hand, brings her free hand to Maki’s hip where she holds on tight. “I won’t feed you if you don’t sing,” she says and her face is dangerously close. Not that it’s a problem, but like, her body is mashed against her as well. And _why is the kitchen so hot. Why is Nico so hot._

 

Nico stops humming when she realizes that Maki’s eyes are on her lips, and Maki realizes that her hands have come to Nico’s hips subconsciously.

 

Maki’s about to lean in when the loud sound of her oven timer goes off. Both of them jump, Nico a little more than Maki. “Since I know you haven’t eaten since noon, I’ll feed you. But next time you better sing!” Nico says, as natural as she can, which is not natural at all. More of a croak.

 

It takes minutes for them to settle next to each other on the couch, hot plates in hand and some movie playing on the television. Nico slurps up a cluster of noodles, and instead of eating, Maki finds herself watching.

 

Nico brings the fork to her mouth, slides the spaghetti in between parted lips not even noticing when some of the red sauce catches on her lower lip. Such a messy eater.

 

The red glob doesn't leave as she continues to eat. Without thinking, Maki brings her thumb to wipe it off, startling Nico. Nico freezes, dropping her fork onto her lap as she looks at Maki. Slowly Maki runs her thumb along Nico’s bottom lip, taking in the wet traces of red sauce. She lingers for a moment, examines how it moves under her finger, how it wobbles just a little.

 

“Maki?” Nico says in a small voice.

 

Maki kisses her, stumbling on top of her and ignoring the sound of a plate falling to the floor. She’ll get it later.

 

Nico makes a small, “mmph,” as their lips touch before bringing her hand up to wind in Maki’s hair.

 

Just by kissing Nico, Maki can feel heat build in her body. The churning and the pull that tugs between her legs. She slides her tongue across Nico’s lower lip, tastes the remnants of sauce.

 

Maki sucks on her lip, then pulls it between her own before letting it go. “You taste like spaghetti,” Maki says, their faces close enough so that their lips brush as she speaks. It’s hard not to smile when Nico is speechless, a rare enough occurrence.

 

“The spaghetti…” is all Nico replies with. She nods to the floor but doesn’t take her eyes off of Maki’s.

 

Maki pushes Nico down, straddles her hips. It’s not exactly usual for her to take control like this, but Nico has been so shy when it comes to this stuff lately, and Maki’s skin is burning. She kisses Nico again, slower this time. Her hand comes to play with the hem of Nico’s sweatshirt, toying with it and occasionally brushing the soft skin underneath.

 

And though the sweatshirt is cute, it gets in the way of Nico’s neck, Maki realizes as she begins to place light kisses on Nico’s jaw. Maki edges the sweatshirt up, sits up a more so she can look at Nico completely.

 

“Can I?” Maki asks, gesturing to the sweatshirt. Nico nods slowly, her eyes wide and mouth opened just enough to see the pink tongue between her lips. Dragging the sweatshirt off, Maki sees that Nico didn’t bother to put a shirt on under it. Her bra is pink with tiny, silver stars marking the fabric. “Cute,” she says, running her index finger along the strap.

 

Nico doesn’t move, just watches.

 

Wasting no time so Nico won’t suddenly stop things with some random excuse, Maki drags her teeth along Nico’s pulse point. She grins into the curve of Nico’s neck when she hears a small hiss.

 

“Maki is tireless today, huh?” Nico says with a forced chuckle. In response Maki bites down on her clavicle.

 

And that’s where things start to go wrong.

 

Out of reaction Nico’s hands jerk Maki’s hips causing her to grind against Nico’s body; and she just kind of hits _right spot._ And then a mildly blinding surge of ecstasy runs through Maki’s body, making her rock again all while letting out a low moan into Nico’s skin.

 

Both of them freeze at the sound. Maki horrified, and Nico completely unreadable. Her pupils are blown, lips clamped tight. Maki watches as her throat bobs against the slender, pale column of her neck.

 

After the longest minute of Maki’s life, Nico smiles. It’s a fake smile and Nico is an idiot for not realizing that Maki can see through her. Then Nico yawns. Again, fake. Again, _idiot._

 

“I’m sleepy,” she says.

 

Maki sets her jaw ridged, already leaning away. “And there is nothing you want to talk about?” Maki asks.

 

Nico looks down in thought, then back up with that stupid smile. “Well...I could eat. You should eat too, Maki.”

 

And Maki almost groans at that, but holds it in because she actually is pretty hungry. Her food is probably cold, and Nico’s is on the floor. Nico always makes extra though when she cooks though, if only so Maki won’t eat processed meals.

 

So they eat in silence, the low buzz of television on in the background. Nico sleeps with her in bed, but distances herself a little. Maki won’t be surprised if she finds Nico on the floor tomorrow morning due to falling off the side.

And that’s when it hits Maki. What if this was a misunderstanding, and Nico doesn’t actually want to do... _it_? Despite that day.

 

Maki’s head hurts thinking about it, so she quells her anxiety in favor of sleep.

 

#

 

Nico does end up on the floor, but that’s not what causes Maki to panic. The screaming is.

 

“ _Rat!”_ Nico yells, and Maki follows her eyes to find a thick, grey-haired creature scurrying around.

 

#

 

So, it turns out Maki’s building has a rat infestation and is in need of fumigation.

 

Starting tomorrow Maki will be staying with Nico for at least seven days. And in that seven days time Maki makes the decision to get to the bottom of whatever problem they’re having.

 

#

 

**iv. in which advice is given**

 

After three days of being around Nico (and Nozomi and Eli); Maki has to come to the simple conclusion that she is sexually frustrated.

 

In Maki’s defence, her temporary roommates are all absolutely awful.

 

For instance, why does Nico always have to look so cute? Even when she’s waking up and has wisps of hair in her eyes and chapped lips, she’s cute. The other day when she came out of the shower with nothing but a towel on Maki practically jumped her. Wet hair, wet skin, wet...other things. And Nico just stared at her stupidly before grinning and saying, “Maybe Maki should have showed with Nico because now there’s no hot water.”

 

To which both of them paused. Nico’s eyes widening like the words left her mouth without permission. Maki actually thinking about the shower. A shower with Nico. Nico who would be naked with her, in the shower.

 

The cold shower she took after was befitting.

 

Oh - and then there is Nozomi, or as Maki likes to call her, Satan. In the times Maki has been around Nozomi she’s either **:**

 

A. **)** touching Eli

 

or

 

B.) teasing her (and Nico by association).

 

Recently she’s taken to winking and saying “ _good luck”_ to Maki every night before bed; as if something is bound to happen.

 

Maki wants to kill Nico for whatever information she gave Nozomi, but that would involve talking about _it._

 

A small (like really, really small) part of Maki wants to ask Nozomi, but that part of her leaves when Nozomi gives her that knowing look. A coy smile, teeth showing _just_ barely - like she’s an animal on the hunt.

 

Last but not least of Maki’s problems is Eli, who really isn’t to blame, but also totally to blame. It’s just that she’s _so loud._ Maki doesn’t know how Nico deals with it. And _God_ , just what the hell is Nozomi doing to her? Last night Maki left Nico’s room only to get a midnight snack, that’s when she heard the noises. It sounded as if an animal was going into heat.

 

And Maki should be totally grossed out by it but then, _well what sounds would Nico make?_ And there is this familiar, annoying buzzing that causes the hair on her arms to stick up and makes her body all hot.

 

Normally the buzzing might just go away after a few breaths, a moment of relaxing; but she’s around Nico _all the time_ unless one of them is at work or class. Sleeping next to her is the worst because Maki can always smell her, and then Nico’s scent starts to stick to Maki’s skin so the even when they’re apart, Nico is _still_ there.

 

She’s stuck in a perpetual state of horniness and it’s driving insane. She doesn’t even, like, know what sex really looks like outside of medical textbooks, or what to do - but she does know that she wants to touch Nico. She thinks Nico wants to touch her too, but lately she’s been so skittish.

 

Maki runs a hand through her hair and groans, jerking her laptop over towards her. Nico’s out for the day and she doesn’t have class, and yeah; she should be studying but enough is enough. It seems everyone knows what they’re doing except Maki.

 

She plugs in her earphones, God forbid Nozomi listens through the door for some reason. With a deep breath, Maki clicks on her adblock and goes to google search.

 

_how to do lesbian sex_

 

Maki feels her face warming as she reads the results, but there is a little relief in the fact that other people seem to look this stuff up too. She skims through all of it quickly, then clicks back and goes to an article on cunnilingus.

 

It’s not like it’s something she’s unaware of. She had to take human sexual behavior some time ago - before she and Nico were together. But the thought of actually doing it…

 

She gasps a little at the article, at reading it. At thinking about these things and Nico all at once, the familiar thrum, the twitch of her abdomen. _Breathe, it’s just an article._

 

After the article Maki clicks back again, browsing until she sees a flashing porn title. “Oh, God,” she chokes out.

 

_Hot Lesbian wet and ready for fuck!!!_

 

It’s gross. Gross and crude and Maki finds herself clicking on it out of sheer curiosity. “Oh, God,” she says again. There is a lot of moaning. More than Eli.

 

In the video are two naked girls, both bleach blonde and severely tanned. Music blares, a slow jazz song that sounds like it’s a few decades old. “ _You like that?”_ the one on top says, circling her extremely long fingernail on the other girl’s inner thigh.

 

 _Is she going to...stick it in?_ Maki wonders if it would hurt given the nail length.

 

“ _You like it when I stroke your--”_

 

Despite the headphones, Maki can still hear the loud pounding on her door. She scrambles the laptop off of her along with the headphones. She’s confused when she can still hear the video despite her headphones being sprawled on the floor. Not just hear it, but hear it blasting.

 

“Maki, I’d appreciate it if you could disconnect your laptop from the apartment’s bluetooth,” Nozomi says.

 

Maki looks at the video, hears the sounds of slapping and yelling and begging. She slams the laptop shut, her hands shaking. “S--sorry.”

 

Nozomi giggles. “It’s alright, but was trying to watch a movie. The noise was a bit of a surprise. Especially coming from you.”

 

“I-” Maki swallows in, the mortification causing her tongue to feel heavy and throat to constrict. _Disgusting._ “Sorry, I didn’t mean--I didn’t--”

 

“Why don’t you let me come in?”

 

Maki stares at the locked door, contemplating. Maybe if she says nothing and does nothing both of them can pretend that what just happened never happened. Eli isn’t here, busy teaching at the dance studio. No one else has to know. But Maki wants to know stuff that Nozomi might know, and at this point things can’t possibly get more embarrassing.

 

She gets up, opens the door with a blush stretching over her nose. “Come in,” Maki says, avoiding Nozomi’s eyes.

 

Nozomi walks in and makes her way to the bed, then sits down. She glances at the laptop that’s now on the floor, smirks a little. “What’s been going on between you and Nicocchi?”

 

“Uh--I, well.” Maki scratches the back of her head. “I thought maybe you could tell me?”

 

“Why would I know?” Nozomi says, but she’s still smiling, and Maki knows that she _does know._ Always fishing.

 

“Please,” Maki grits out.

 

Nozomi puts a finger to her chin and tilts her head to the side. “Hmm...how about first you tell me why you were watching porn? Not that it’s bad, but it seems a little out of character.”

 

 _Dammit. Dammit dammit dammit_ ; she should have never let Nozomi in. Nozomi has this way of yanking information out, pulling it from the mouth like clowns do with scarves. “Well I’ve never, um-”

 

“Had sex?” Nozomi answers.

 

The, “yeah,” is not said, as much as it is coughed out. “And I, _ugh_ \- nevermind. It’s stupid.”

 

Nozomi’s smile is not a friendly one, more sinister than that, and Maki feels the hairs on her arms stand up.

 

_What’s with that look?_

 

“You know what happens when people are dishonest with me?” she sings.

 

Maki suddenly has war flashbacks to high school; but this won’t work on her. She’s not Nico. “You wouldn’t,” she challenges.

 

Nozomi flexes her hands.

 

“You--can’t, no. Come on, Nozomi, we’re adults now…This is childish,” Maki says, hoping that the fear doesn't show through in her voice. Does Nozomi still do this with Nico?

 

“Childish is hiding your feelings, Maki.” She leans in further and further and-

 

“Fine!” Maki shouts. A bead of sweat has formed on her right temple. “I want to have sex with Nico, but I don’t know how. And I don’t even know if she wants to because she barely seems interested in me lately and I feel stupid because I never even, like, thought _thought_ of sex until recently. And then everyone in the group chat admitted to have sex and I’m just this 20 year old virgin who’s hopeless. It doesn't help that this is all Nico’s fault because she won’t talk to me about it and--” Maki takes in a deep breath, her mouth dry from the rush of words.

 

Nozomi, on the other hand, is laughing. Deep laughter, belly-filled laughter.

 

“I’m sure this is very funny to you,” Maki mutters, hiding her face and blush.

 

“No!” Nozomi says through the laughter, moving Maki’s hand and putting it in her own. “It’s not that. It’s just that, you really should talk to Nicocchi.”

 

“I told you, she won’t--”

 

“Have _you_ made an effort to talk about it?” Nozomi asks.

 

“No, but-”

 

“Talk to her,” she says, and then suddenly her dark smile comes back. “Or else.” Maki flinches when she flexes her hands.

 

Maki twirls her hair, chewing on her lower lip. “Has she talked to you?”

 

“Of course, but I’m not the one she wants to have sex with.” Nozomi says it so simply it takes Maki a moment to process the entire sentence.

 

“What?”

 

Another one of those coy annoying smiles. “Maki, you shouldn't be so embarrassed about this stuff, you know? It’s sweet, wanting to hold a girl's hand and appreciate her; but it’s also okay to want to rail her until she forgets her name.” Maki’s eyes bulge, and Nozomi being Nozomi only closes her eyes, grinning.

 

She stands up and begins to leave the room in Maki’s speechless state. “And by the way, as a 20 year old virgin, imagine being a 22 year old virgin.”

 

With that, Nozomi exits the room.

 

After a good 10 minutes of thought, Maki gathers herself. She smiles, silently thanking Nozomi despite her initial (and still lingering) mortification.

 

Two things are going to happen tonight:

 

  1. Maki is going shopping because she does not own a matching bra and underwear set
  2. Maki Nishikino is going to have sex with Nico Yazawa



 

##

 

**v. in which they do That**

 

Maki is staring at her, has been the entire night even though Maki was the one that got to pick the movie (which is unsurprisingly boring). Nico stares back a few times, a little irritated and a little curious. Maki always looks away, even though it’s obvious that she’s staring since they’re huddled onto Nico’s bed.

 

“Why are you being such a weirdo?” Nico asks, and then adds, “you were the one who picked out this boring crap.”

 

Maki blushes and then shakes her head. “I’m not, and it isn’t boring!”

 

“Says the girl who hasn’t watched any of it.”

 

“I’ve been watching. And it’s a romance, I thought you’d like it.”

 

Nico yawns, stretching out her limbs for an exaggerated period of time. “It’s long, has subtitles and is set in like the 30’s.”

 

Maki sighs, one finger twirling in her hair. “50’s.”

 

Rolling her eyes, Nico says, “So much better. Thank you for teaching Nico the error of her ways.”

 

Maki laughs a little and playfully shoves Nico, but then her hand freezes on Nico’s shoulder as she faces the small screen with wide eyes. Nico looks to the screen and freezes as well.

 

Oh. _Oh._

 

The two women on screen begin to kiss, and Nico suddenly finds herself more interested in the film. Maybe she really wasn’t paying attention. “So they’re doing _that,”_ Nico says, but she’s quickly shushed by Maki who seems to be intently watching the scene.

 

One hand twirls the ends of her air, the other grips the bed. She worries her lip a little bit in between white teeth, and now Nico finds herself watching Maki. It dawns on Nico a second later that they are watching a sex scene between two women, and well - sex is a topic Nico has been heavily trying to avoid since _that_ night.

 

Maki hasn’t made it easy. With the group chat conversation, and the taking Nico’s shirt off thing, and the general being extremely hot thing. That red hair, always framing a shaped jawline. And her mouth, pink lips and almost perfect teeth but if you examine them close enough one of the middle bottoms sticks out just the tiniest bit more. Of course, Nico can’t forget her arms, or legs or butt.

 

One of Nico’s favorite things is her nose, how it points perfectly at the end. And then there are her eyes...

 

“Nico?” Maki asks, and Nico realizes she’s been leaning in during her examination. She missed the sex scene, which was probably like the best part of this entire bori-

 

Maki is kissing her. Maki is kissing her and grabbing her face and just _so close_.

 

She’ll watch the sex scene some other time.

 

While still kissing Nico, Maki pushes the laptop to the side. “Hey that,” _kiss_ , “was,” _kiss_ , “expensive.”

 

Maki pushes the laptop off the bed, smiling into Nico’s mouth. “If it breaks I’ll buy you a new one.” And with the way that Maki licks her bottom lip, Nico can’t find she really gives a damn about the laptop anymore.

 

Their noses bump and brush, Maki’s pressing into Nico’s already heated skin. With every puff of warm air into her mouth, Nico feels another jolt go down her spine stirring the beginning pulses of arousal.

 

Maki’s being more, well _everything_ right now. It feels different from normal, more charged; but Nico remembers the last time she felt that way and that small flash of panic.

 

She pulls away with a sheepish grin. Nozomi would probably hit her, or grope her. But no matter how many times Nozomi says to just talk to her, it’s just not as easy as it sounds. What if it comes off as Nico pressuring or something?

 

Nico rubs the back of her neck, takes in a deep breath. Which is useless because Maki takes off her shirt while looking directly into Nico’s eyes. She’s wearing a red, lacy bra that Nico is almost sure is new. _Holy God._

 

“Why do you keep doing this?” Maki asks, crimson running over her nose and cheeks. And Nico is very, very turned on by how Maki hovers over her, knees on the bed. _Which is bad_. From where Nico’s standing (sitting) Maki’s doing all the, well, doing at the moment.

 

 _Don’t look at her boobs, don’t look at her -_ Nico looks at her breasts and then darts her head back up to look at Maki. “Huh?”

 

Maki bites her lip because apparently she wants Nico to die of sexual frustration. “Do you not--” she covers her chest which makes her breast just a little easier to not look at. “Do you not want me?”

 

That snaps Nico out of her brief haze, mainly because it’s the most inaccurate thing to come out of Maki’s mouth. Maki, who swore Santa was real until about three years ago. Nico gets up, leveling with Maki, and quickly grabs her face. Kisses her as thoroughly as possible, not bothering with bruised lips or clashing teeth.

 

With a finger running over the line of Maki’s jaw Nico bites down on her lip until she hears a high pitched whimper echoed into her mouth. “Don’t be stupid, Maki,” she says, her words a breath between opened lips.

 

Maki swallows before bringing her hand down to undo the button of her pants.

 

“Maki…”

 

Nico watches as she slips the pants off showing red underwear that match her bra. “Wait,” she says, even though Maki’s pants are already off.

 

“What?”

 

“I just--I don’t want you to do anything you’re not ready for, or feel pressured because of...before, you know?”

 

Maki closes her eyes and clenches her jaw tight so that Nico can see the muscles work beneath pale skin. With a heavy breath, Maki takes Nico’s hand and presses it against her lower stomach.

 

And then lower, past the band of her underwear. Maki hisses at the contact, but it’s Nico who lets out a low and audible moan, bubbling out of the base of her throat as a warm, thick wetness envelops her fingers.

 

By the wrist, Maki pulls her hand away, both of them staring at Nico’s coated fingers.

 

“Who’s stupid now?” Maki asks in a throaty whisper.

 

And Nico can’t help it, she pounces.

 

She places her dry hand on Maki’s jaw, cradling it. Lets her mouth hover but not touch while looking into deep violet. Her heart hurts, not in a pounding way, but as if it’s too big for her chest.

Underneath Nico, breathing, staring - it’s hard to believe this is real. This girl underneath her is the future, present and past all in one; and Nico’s eyes sting a little with the thought that out of every door slammed in her face, every rejection that might be coming; she knows there will always be Maki, living and breathing under her hand.

 

Nico trails her wet hand over Maki’s stomach, watching her suck in a sharp breath as she presses against Maki’s sternum. There is only a thin strip of space between them, and when Maki breathes, her head lifts just a fraction causing their lips to graze. The touch is jarring.

 

“I love you,” Nico says with her eyes on slightly parted lips. She tilts down so that her nose brushes Maki’s, presses their foreheads together, damp breath ghosting over an opened mouth. She flicks the tip of her tongue over a pink, jutting lip; runs it along until she can kiss the corner of Maki’s mouth.   

 

“I love you, too.”

 

The warmth of Maki’s breath drifts over Nico’s lips, it tastes and smells vaguely like mint. Like someone who was planning to be kissed. Nico smiles, her lips pressing into Maki’s for a full kiss that’s deepened right away by the tip of Maki’s tongue scraping the roof of her mouth.

 

Slowly, Nico drags her hand down Maki’s body, nestled between them. Touches the plains of her stomach, circles the dip of her belly button, and then comes back up to rest atop a deep, red bra. She presses against Maki’s clothed nipple with her thumb, swallows the moan that comes up low from Maki’s stomach.

 

Then she does it again, this time not muffling Maki’s lips and instead kissing down her jaw. Maki is loud, Nico then realizes. She grins into the damp skin of her neck before biting down. The moan turns into a hiss followed by the faint murmur of, _“Nico…_ ” not in scolding, but out of reaction, praise.

 

Nico takes her hand to play with the strap of Maki’s bra. “Lift,” she says, biting the inside of her cheek so she doesn’t laugh at the small whimper that leaves Maki’s mouth.

 

Maki lifts, and Nico dives her hand underneath, feeling the soft skin of Maki’s back below the clasp. It takes a few times since she can’t see, but eventually Nico gets it undone; her lips tilting up a little at the small victory.

 

“Can I?” she says, her hands already dragging the straps down toned arms.

 

Maki frowns a little, looking Nico up and down. “You’re still fully clothed.”

 

Suddenly the clothes feel too tight on Nico’s skin, the cardigan, the pants - all of it. But when it comes to her body, she’s not as, _well_ ... there isn’t as much. Nico sucks in a deep breath remembering how wet Maki was. _Is._ Now isn’t the time for lack of confidence.

 

Nico drags her cardigan and undershirt over her head, shaking her now loose and messy hair. Maki’s eyes drag from her face to her chest to her tightened torso, focused as if she were reading a book. Nico tries not to be self conscious about it.

 

Her hands go to untie the tension of her sweats, and _geez_ ; if she would have known this would happen tonight she would have dressed sexier. It doesn’t seem to matter anyways with the way Maki is staring at her crotch now.

 

“What?” Nico asks, trying to soften her voice so it doesn’t sound like she’s snapping.

 

Maki leans up, grabs Nico’s hips, and kisses her collarbone. She drags her hands up and down Nico’s torso, fingers splayed out on her back. Nico grabs her chin and kisses her while using her other hand to remove the bra straps completely off.

 

She runs her index finger under Maki’s breast, kissing her neck until she reaches her ear. “Lay back, okay?” Maki looks at her, brief hesitation in her eyes. “I wanna touch you,” Nico says, pressing a soft kiss on her ear before sucking gently on the lobe. “Please.”

 

Maki lies back down, Nico following atop her. She looks at Maki’s chest, plump but firm, hardened pink nipples; a bright red flush against her skin. Nico’s finger automatically goes to circle one nipple and when Maki gasps against her cheek, Nico realizes that she might have been born to touch this girl because the tightening in her chest comes back twice as hard.

 

She licks down Maki’s sternum, then over to one breast. Carefully she moves the tip of her tongue over one nipple just before biting down gently. Maki bucks her hips and raises her chest, letting out a breathy, “ _hah…”_  that makes Nico’s stomach tug, like a hook pulling from her navel.

 

Nico moves one hand down to toy with the hem of Maki’s panties, then moves it lower until her hand is atop the garment. With two fingers, she presses down, moaning into Maki’s chest at the wetness seeping through.

 

“Nico,” Maki murmurs, and when Nico repeats the movement, resting a little longer, moving a little more; Maki nearly yells. She covers her mouth with the back of her hand in attempt to mute the loudness.

 

Nico runs the inside of her bottom lip up Maki’s chest before kissing the hand resting over her mouth. “Don’t do that,” she says, moving the hand and bringing it up to her lips, kissing each finger. “I wanna hear, okay?”

 

“It’s embarrassing. Nozomi and Eli are still in the apartment…”

 

Nico rolls her eyes, smiling a little. “They’re in the room, it should be fine. Besides, the amount of times I caught them…” Nico thinks it would only be fair if their sex life made at least one of them uncomfortable, though it would probably be Eli because Nozomi has no shame. She pouts a little, her mouth still on Maki’s hand. “Please…”

 

Even with the heavy blush on her cheeks, Maki manages to roll her eyes with complete annoyance. “Fine.”

 

Nico pushes down again against Maki’s underwear, biting her lip at the way Maki’s entire body jerks. She presses her cheek against Maki’s, lets her damp breath wash over the reddened tip of Maki’s ear before murmuring, “you’re so wet.” She strokes her fingers up and down, chuckling when Maki thrusts against them.

 

“I always wondered, do you do this and think about me? Do you touch yourself, _Maki_ ?” She says the name slowly, letting the _M_ roll off of her lips.

 

Maki groans, her hips bucking again when Nico applies the slightest amount of pressure to her clit.

 

“No,” Maki grits out. “I--I didn’t want, I wanted you to be my first, uh…”

 

Nico’s heart stops for a moment at the sentiment.

 

“I have,” Nico admits into Maki’s ear. “I wish I could have waited like you.” Nico runs her finger along Maki’s inner thigh. “I only thought of you - ever since high school.” She reaches into Maki’s underwear from the side, past the coarse hair there and straight along her entrance where she’s soaked through. “I’ve thought about this ever since then and never did anything about it. Silly, right?”

 

Maki’s hands pull against the bedsheet, her mouth opened as a string of whimpers slip between her lips.

 

“Maki, can I taste you?” Nico asks, casually drawing circles around her entrance.

 

They look at each other, Maki’s expression flustered, her pink tongue coming out to lick her own bottom lip. “I--” she grinds her teeth together, clenches her jaw, and then nods.

 

Nico dips her head down, her mouth going in the same direction as the wet trail she left earlier. Maki’s skin taste like a mixture of salt and soap, runs smooth against her tongue. She has the most beautiful skin, though Nico already thought that before. Like honey, soft and sweet and gentle in the way it molds with its dips and curves.

 

She uses both hands to lower Maki’s underwear, waits a second until she feels the shake of a leg kicking them off, and then spreads Maki’s legs.

 

Maki bends them at the knee, head jerking up to watch Nico who rests on her lower stomach. She looks frightened for just a moment, which worries Nico; but then her expression calms.

 

Nico kisses her navel, the dips of her hips, her inner thighs.

 

“If you want me to stop or something, just say so, okay,” Nico says, very serious.

 

“I--I don’t want that,” she sighs, her teeth ground down.

 

Nico uses one hand to grab Maki’s butt, the other to wander idly around her inner thigh. She swipes her index finger though Maki, collecting a thick wetness.

 

“I’m going to go in.” When Maki only nods, Nico experimentally prods one finger inside of Maki, feeling her expand and tighten against the digit. All of this for her, the gasp, the jerking of hips, the way Maki is drenched. She moves her finger slowly just to get a feel of Maki.

 

With the careful movements, she brings her mouth to hover over pink, sensitive skin. Blows as a warning, and then licks up the length of Maki, parting her labia, but purposefully skimming past her clit. The bitter, pungent taste washes over Nico’s tongue.

 

“Beautiful,” she murmurs, looking over every detail of Maki.

 

Maki sighs, sweet and breathy, from the very back of her throat.

 

Nico pushes her finger in more purposefully, crooking it towards Maki’s navel and reacting to the reactions she’s given. The more Maki seems enjoys something, the more volatile her body becomes; and Nico thinks about learning all the little nooks and crannies of her body over time, studying it.

 

“Nico, please,” Maki groans, in response to both the slow thrust and teasing licks.

 

Maybe some other time Nico will tease and play, but for now she latches her lips onto Maki’s clit and pumps in and out faster. Maki meets her thrusts, at some point burying her hand in Nico’s hair involuntarily. She pulls from the roots, and as much as it hurts, it makes Nico’s arousal only grow.

 

Nico can feel the tension in Maki’s body build quickly, she tightens around Nico’s finger, gets more erratic with her thrust. She yells things that Nico can’t quite comprehend.

 

When Nico adds a second finger, still directing her lips, teeth and tongue on Maki’s clit; she knows the tension is breaking.

 

“ _I’m-!_ ” Maki starts, but it’s lost in murmurs of Nico’s name and other things.

 

Nico thrusts knuckles deep, holding the flat out of her tongue and letting Maki move against it. A flood of warmth spreads across Nico’s mouth and hand; from then on Nico just lets Maki ride the aftershocks.

 

When she finally stills, Nico rests her cheek on Maki’s inner thigh; kissing it a few times before biting town.

 

Maki jerks again, then looks up, which Nico takes as her cue to move up. Before she can even really process how good Maki looks with her flushed face and messy hair, Nico’s being pulled into a lazy kiss.

 

Their tongues intertwine messy and sloppy and perfect, but Nico remembers how potent her arousal is when she’s reminded that Maki is tasting herself with the kiss.

 

“How did you know to do that?” Maki asks, half impressed, half skeptical.

 

Nico blushes. She can’t outright say porn, can she? Porn and being alone with too much time before her career started off. God, maybe she’s no better than Nozomi. “Nico has her secrets,” she replies, doing her sign and grinning.

 

Maki rolls her eyes before flipping them in a sudden movement that makes Nico a little dizzy. Also, why is Maki so strong?

 

Maki dulls the thoughts with a series of kisses as Nico roams her hands over Maki’s naked back, and then in front to grab her breast. Maki groans, then swats Nico’s hands away.

 

She looks down at Nico’s torso. “I don’t know what I’m doing, but I--I wanna touch you too.” She grabs Nico’s hand, caresses it. “Tell me what you want,” and Nico almost comes at that, whimpering a little bit.

 

She chuckles while shifting her legs together. “It wouldn’t take much.”

 

Maki brings a hand low, letting one finger drift under the waistband of Nico’s pants. She moves lower, grabbing them fully and slowly dragging them down until they’re at the ankle and Nico can kick them off with her feet.

 

“Cute underwear,” Maki comments with a smirk.

 

Nico sighs. _Pink A-rise undies_ ? She looks down. _Yep_. “Well someone didn’t get the luxury of preparing.” Nico scowls, but it disappears when Maki runs a soft hand along the inside of her inner thigh. Damn, she has such nice hands.

 

Maki strokes Nico’s sides, tickling her a little in the process. Nico can’t help the giggle that leaves her mouth. “You know that’s my weak spot.” Maki smiles back at her, doing it again and causing a half-naked Nico to squirm like a little girl. “I can’t believe you used sex as a setup for a tickle fight,” Nico attempts to grumble, failing when she ends up just giggling more.

 

She stops giggling when Maki’s hands go to her bra. “Off,” she says, and following what Maki did earlier, Nico hesitantly lifts. Maki’s better at getting the bra off, which would annoy Nico if she wasn’t so turned on.

 

Maki stares at her naked chest, making her squirm in a different way than before. It’s one of her insecurities, one of the two things that never grew out - the other being height.

 

She brings her head to Nico’s chest, hot breath on an erect nipple. Without warning, Maki brings the entire thing to her lips. Nico jerks, squeaking at the sudden contact.

 

Maki looks at the wet nipple, circles her thumb around it. With that distraction going on, Nico jolts at the touch of another hand on her underwear.

 

Maki groans, swallowing and looking up at Nico. “You’re--” she doesn’t finish, just gulps in a large breath of air. And then she shoves her hand down Nico’s underwear, again, without warning.

 

Nico clings to her back, grasping and hoping that her nails don’t dip too far into perfect skin. “ _Fuck_ ,” Nico says with labored breath.

 

Maki places her mouth on the other nipple, her hand idly exploring, drifting up and down, occasionally wandering to her entrance.

 

She licks a clean line from Nico’s breast to her chin to her mouth before giving her a slow, deep kiss. “What do you want?” she says against Nico’s lips.

 

“Inside,” is all Nico manages to murmur.

 

Maki buries one, then two fingers inside of her, thrusting at a torturous pace. Nico tries to meet her hand with bucking hips, but it’s still not enough. And that’s when Maki’s thumb drifts to her clit, pressing down softly before running in small circles.

 

Nico murmurs her name like a prayer, her lips slipping in and out of Maki’s. After a few minutes of awkward hand to hip jerking, Maki finds a pace that isn’t syrup slow. Nico finds herself building quickly as soaked fingers move in and out.

 

She squeezes her eyes shut as a wave starts to overcome her, only to find her head being jerked up by Maki’s other hand. “Look at me,” she asks so desperately that Nico feels like she’d die if she looked anywhere else.

 

Their eyes stay locked as Maki builds her, and Nico’s hands cling for the body atop her own. “I love you,” Maki says and Nico can’t respond with anything intelligible as a white, hot tension floods her entire body, pulling from the stomach down.

 

“Are you coming?” Maki asks, and Nico grips her neck and kisses her with her eyes still wide open. Her body is on fire, Maki everywhere and doing everything at once. Maki’s scent, the taste of mint on her tongue, her fingers and how they fit so perfectly inside and against her.

 

“ _Maki,”_ she gasps into an opened mouth before holding Maki’s face with her own hands. Nico’s hips thrash, body sweat-slicked and in overdrive.

 

And Maki’s violet eyes just keep staring at her as she reaches peak.

 

When her climax begins to fade, Nico can feel her body sinking into the cushions of her bed. Maki collapses on top of her.

 

They both stay like that, the only sound in the room being that of deep breaths. Nico plays with a strand of Maki’s hair without thinking. After a moment, Maki turns her head on Nico’s chest to look at her.

 

And then she slaps Nico lightly on the head.

 

“Hey!” Nico rubs her head, scowling.

 

“Why didn’t you bring up the reason you were being so weird earlier,” she says, her words tickling a little against Nico’s skin.

 

“I just didn’t want to pressure you! _I_ was being super amazing, as always.” Nico puffs out her chest.

 

Maki slaps her again. “Amazingly stupid.”

 

At that Nico raises her eyebrows. “So Maki liked the skills of-”

 

“Don’t say it.”

 

“Super Idol--”

 

“Nico, I’m warning you.”

 

“Nico, Nico, Nii!” Nico jolts up, raising her hand in the now trademark sign.

 

She gets hit again.

 

“I’m asking seriously,” Maki says, looking down a little. She grabs the blanket and wraps it around both of them.

 

Nico shrugs. “I thought it wouldn’t matter if we waited longer because we have so much time together.”

 

Maki’s eyes soften. “Idiot,” she says before kissing Nico.

 

Nico smiles into the kiss. But as soon as it breaks she makes note to say, “But you never brought it up either!”

 

Maki throws a pillow at her.

 

##

 

**vi. in which there is too much damn noise (a semi, but not really epilogue)**

 

It’s around one am when Eli’s stomach growls. She looks over at a sleeping Nozomi and smiles before setting her book down and getting out of bed. Nozomi stirs, her eyes opening a little bit.

 

“I’m getting a snack, want anything?”

 

Wiping her eyes, Nozomi looks at the clock. She smiles, then yawns out, “eat snacks this late and you’ll get nightmares, Elicchi.”

 

“Just a yogurt,” she says. “You want one?”

 

Nozomi nods. “Sure.”

 

Exiting the room, Eli hears an odd noise. Some sort of yelling, maybe? She looks up at the ceiling, pondering what the guys upstairs might be doing. A party probably.

 

While in the kitchen, the sounds get louder. Like, really loud. Moaning, and yelling and - Eli looks at Nico’s door on the other side of the apartment. “ _No,”_ she says, then walks closer.

 

More sounds, some borderline primal. Discovery channel level. “Nico…?” Eli murmurs to no one, stepping near her door to where the noises are getting louder. _So loud._ “That’s not Nico,” Eli realizes shortly, and then her cheeks go full flame. “Oh my God.”

 

_Ew ew ew…_

 

Eli runs back to the room with Nozomi, a little scared, a little mortified, and a little curious.

 

“Elicchi?” Nozomi asks, her normally honey voice increasing in pitch. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Nico and Maki,” Eli says, eyes wide.

 

Nozomi sighs, puts her hand on her heart. “You scared me. So they’re finally doing that then.” Her smile fades into something devious, finger coming to mouth.

 

“Yes, but Maki; she’s so loud?” Eli replies, brushing a hand through her hair. It was always a matter of time before they had sex, but Eli never planned on hearing it.

 

“You’re one to talk,” Nozomi comments, her eyes half closed as she grins.

 

The blush on Eli’s face deepens. “I--I, do not.”

 

Nozomi kisses her on the cheek. “Don’t worry. I’m sure Maki will bring up how she wants Nico to move in with her soon anyways.”

 

“Wait, what? Maki told you that?”

 

Nozomi winks and pats the deck of card on her nightstand. “Didn’t have too.”

 

Eli looks at the wall, where a decent amount of space - _thank God_ \- is separating them from Nico and Maki. “You think they’ll be okay?” she asks. Nico is on the path to becoming something so big and Maki is too; it’s a lot, even if you love the other person with all your heart. Now is just the beginning.

 

“Nobody truly knows the future, but I wouldn’t worry. In the end all things work out.”

 

Eli looks at Nozomi, then looks at the wall once more; and somehow, she knows that things will be okay. For all of them.

 

Which means it’s time for Eli to invest in a new pair of headphones, ones that are completely sound proof.

**Author's Note:**

> ty for reading! im on twitter @semenshaw and tumblr as wordswithgays (writing side blog) and gothamcitygays if u ever wanna send me anything, i don't know many ppl who watch it and it makes me :(( and would love to chat with others


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